517.30(C)(3)(3)d

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slatesaz

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Has anyone else had any experience with this issue?
Emergency fixture in Hospital. "Use of Flex whip not permitted for 2' x 4' Drop in fixture in T-Bar ceiling".
 

roger

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Unfortunately, as far as the actual way it's writen, unless an inspector wants to exercise some common sense the fixtures must be hard piped.

Roger
 

copper chopper

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Location
wisconsin
if you read this article carefully, it points you to 517.13 a and b.. and B states that all luminaires above 7.5 feet are in the exception.. it then points you to 250.118 which says that a fixture whip is fine. also hospital work has been my bread and butter for the last 5 years or so and yes, inspectors have brought this up.Then I show them this and everything is fine..... now as for a under cabinet light, theres a differnt story??????:sick:
 
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roger

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if you read this article carefully, it points you to 517.13 a and b.. and B states that all luminaires above 7.5 feet are in the exception.. it then points you to 250.118 which says that a fixture whip is fine. also hospital work has been my bread and butter for the last 5 years or so and yes, inspectors have brought this up.Then I show them this and everything is fine..... now as for a under cabinet light, theres a differnt story??????:sick:
Meeting the requirements of 517.13(A) and (B) has nothing to do with Mechanical Protection of the Emergency System, this must be done with one of the five methods prescribed in 517.30(C)(3) and where flexible wiring methods are allowed is covered in the 4 conditions of 517.30(C)(3)(3). The requirements of 517.13(A) will have to be done with a non-flexible wiring method in this case.

Exception No2 to 517.13(B) only lets you do away with the insulated conductor EGC, you can not use any flexible wiring method for the fixture whip such as standard MC although you can use AC or FMC meeting the conditions of 250.118(5)

BTW, hospital work has been most of my almost 40 years in the trade.
:)


Roger
 
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slatesaz

Member
Has anyone else had any experience with this issue?
Emergency fixture in Hospital. "Use of Flex whip not permitted for 2' x 4' Drop in fixture in T-Bar ceiling".

In my way of thinking The fixture is UL listed with a flexible whip attached.
I would think that would get me through 517.30(c)(3)(3)d.
The inspector does not agree and thinks I should remove the whip and hard pipe.

For me to modify the fixture and hard pipe seems blatantly wrong.
Not that it is right or wrong, but I have never hard pipe anything in a T-bar ceiling.
It seems to me there needs to be some seismic isolation in that situation.

I think you might be right and common sense is the issue.
 

roger

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For the record, I agree with you. Can you contact the manufacturer and see if they can be of some assistance seeing as the fixture and whip should be listed as an assembly?

Roger
 

elohr46

Senior Member
Location
square one
In my way of thinking The fixture is UL listed with a flexible whip attached.
I would think that would get me through 517.30(c)(3)(3)d.
The inspector does not agree and thinks I should remove the whip and hard pipe.

For me to modify the fixture and hard pipe seems blatantly wrong.
Not that it is right or wrong, but I have never hard pipe anything in a T-bar ceiling.
It seems to me there needs to be some seismic isolation in that situation.

I think you might be right and common sense is the issue.

Yikes, an inspector telling you to modify a UL listed fixture so he can pass it, that's beautiful.
 

don_resqcapt19

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Location
Illinois
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retired electrician
I don't see the removal of a factory installed fixture whip as having any more effect on the listing of the fixture than I do with the field installation of a fixture whip to any listed fixture
 

don_resqcapt19

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Location
Illinois
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retired electrician
I assume you are entering the end so the wiring port can be opened.
The ones that I have seen hard piped used a 1900 box on the top of the fixture. The branch circuit conductors were spliced to the fixture wires in the 1900 box. The box was installed on the "wiring port" cover using a chase nipple.
 
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